Pope Leo Clarifies “Tyrants” Remark, Downplays Feud With Trump

Pope Leo Clarifies “Tyrants” Remark, Downplays Feud With Trump

The friction between the two leaders stems largely from Pope Leo’s vocal criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

RMN News Political Desk
New Delhi | April 19, 2026

Aboard a flight to Angola, Pope Leo sought to de-escalate a public rift with U.S. President Donald Trump, stating that it is “not in my interest” to debate the American leader. The pontiff clarified that his recent forceful rhetoric regarding global “tyrants” was not a personal attack on Trump.

The disagreement intensified earlier this week when the Pope, during his 10-day tour of Africa, denounced leaders who spend billions on “killing and devastation” while neglecting resources for education and healing. Although these remarks were widely interpreted as a jab at the White House, the Pope explained that the speech had been prepared two weeks in advance, well before Trump began criticizing him.

The friction between the two leaders stems largely from Pope Leo’s vocal criticism of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. In response to the Pope’s stance, Trump labeled the Chicago-born pontiff as “WEAK on Crime” and “terrible for Foreign Policy” on Truth Social. Trump also briefly posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus-like figure, which drew criticism from some religious conservatives before being removed.

While Vice President JD Vance welcomed the Pope’s recent attempts to downplay the conflict, noting that media narratives often exaggerate disagreements, the Pope has debuted a notably more forceful speaking style during his current tour. As he continues his 18,000 km journey across four African countries, the pontiff maintains he will continue to speak out against war, inequality, and the “endless cycle of destabilisation”.